We just can’t seem to get away from soybean aphids.  Over the weekend, their numbers have increased more than I would have expected.  They are still on near treatment levels, but now I have to wonder if thinking that the season was over were a bit premature.  Based on our weather, and how rapidly these bugs can reproduce, there may be some late season spraying.

 

The early beans are starting to turn in some areas.  These fields are no longer in danger of aphid infestations but the later maturity beans, especially now that we have a weather delay in reaching maturity.  I will pass along anything that I see otherwise.

Another interesting note; of all the beans I have been in watching aphids, there is quite a difference in their weed control.  I’ve seen fields that were under a total glyphosate program, others that had authority/sonic and others with verdict.  It is not surprise that the fields that were only treated with glyphosate had the toughest time with weeds this year and all of the pre emerge herbicides worked well.  However, I think I can say that I seen a distinct difference between the sonic/authority fields vs. the verdict fields.  Both programs worked very well but the verdict fields did seem to be in better shape late in the season. This may be something worth keeping an eye on.

I spent some time at Farm Fest today.  The number of people attending seemed to be high today, although it was not too difficult to navigate throughout the grounds.

 My report on soybean aphids is not changing.  As of today, levels are quite low but evenly spread throughout the area.  The forecast of more pleasant weather will be of benefit to aphids.  I expect that their numbers will climb in the next week.

Spider mites are becoming more of a concern.  There are a few fields were I think treatment may be warranted.  There are even a couple of corn fields that may soon need a treatment.  If you do need to treat for mites, I would recommend staying with a chlorpyrifos product (lorsban, nufos, etc.) because the other products are simply not that effective on them.   Also, since we are well into August, I question the value of the name brand products and there guarantee.  If you do spray this time of year, the chance that you will have to again is remote, making the extra cost of the guarantee worthless.

Have you looked at your corn?  I mean really walked out into to it to see?  The July heat was not good on it.  The rows on the perimeter suffered from the heat, but think about how hot it got in the middle of the field.  A number of fields that I did walk into had some pretty tough looking ears deep inside; some were not too bad.  When the season is over I think we will notice some seeding rate issues.  The picture is one taken from the field by my place from the middle of the field.  This is a flex ear planted at a lower population and so far everything looks decent.  The overlap area on the headlands where the population is higher does not look so good.  This will be interesting to try to figure out.

What a difference a little moisture, cooler temperatures and a few days make!!!  Soybean aphid numbers have definitely changes in the last few days.  Last week the fields, with the exception of a few hot spots, where essentially devoid of any aphids, are now to fairly consistent low levels throughout the fields.  In almost every field I stopped in today I was able to find aphids at about two thirds of the places I looked.  The numbers were only a few, but spread out through the fields.  The areas that were very heavily infested last week are now completely without any aphids.  These observations were quite consistent everywhere from Granite, to Cottonwood, Wood Lake and Echo.

This is not unexpected.  This is normally how they increase in numbers.  It’s now just a waiting game.

Tonight, finally some rain coming through the area.  I have a report of close to one inch, and some small hail, in the Wood Lake area.  Here in Granite, nothing again.  The amount of rain we received tonight was not enough to even get the ground wet under vehicles. 

 

I have nothing too different to report today as in the last few days.  I continue to see some small areas of the fields that have some high aphid numbers, but they are very isolated and do not yet seem to be spreading very fast throughout the fields.  I have noticed though, (maybe it would be more proper to say that I took the time to look) that many corn fields are also being infested with spider mites.  Quite a few of the field borders that I looked at do have the same stippling symptoms associated with mites.  No field is in need of spraying, as of yet.  I did see (actually smell) that between Granite and Clarkfield some fields were sprayed, though I do not know for what insect.  The rain that has come tonight will not be enough to alleviate mite infestations.

I will continue to monitor insect levels and let you know.  For the next two days I will attending a seed meeting and will not be close to home.  I will have phone and email contact if anything comes up.